Lyle's Blog

She was a very skinny woman. One might even say frail. But that person would be wrong because she was anything but as she was tough. If I was in a fight, I would want her on my side.

I don't recall when she first started at the diner. I believe she was hired while I was away on vacation. But she fit in well not only with the crew but with the customers. I remember she was real close with another girl named Kathy who later moved on to the Eugene area.

She had many medical issues that constantly caused her problems. Both her heart and lungs were a constant issue but on she scrapped, not allowing any of them to get in her way of living. I believe that I worried more about the medical issues than she did or at least that she let on.

She was one of the crew who jumped on board when Judy and I took the diner over. Who not only stood beside us but also encouraged us. She actively looked to help me out with the financial backing that I thought that I needed. I had many of conversation with her and her husband, Charlie who I very much admired.

Now, our relationship was not always great. I will admit that. She was one of the crew who decided that it would be OK to drink while making the move to our new location. I had so many friends who volunteered their time and trucks to make the move and I had fully intended to hire crew members that transition week to get things ready to go but when I arrived at the new location to find that her and another waitress had gone to the store and loaded up on beer and found them out back drinking it on my dime, I was livid. I sent the lot of them home and did not bring them back until the diner was up and running.

As time went on, Diann's smile remained but her health began to crumble. I knew that she had a variety of types of pain pills and her slight body got even slighter. She began to miss work but always seemed to have an explanation as I knew she did not want me to know the real one.

I finally confronted her and she agreed to step aside for a while to get her health back. That was a couple of years ago and, unfortunately, the last time that I saw her. Her mom was in a couple of times and told us that Diann would never be able to work again.

We were all crushed to be told that she had passed on last week. Since my crew does not turn over much, she is still well known by most of them and many of them are planning on attending her funeral set to be in Prineville later on today.